20 Absolute Best Wrestlers In The World Right Now
7. Tomohiro Ishii
Nobody sells like Tomohiro Ishii. Nobody.
When it comes to working from beneath, generating underdog sympathy, and pulling an audience into his struggle, 'The Stone Pitbull' is the benchmark against which all other underdogs should be measured. He won't just convince you that the targeted limb is sore, but that it's about to fall off. With agony etched across his mug, Ishii will clasp that arm or leg as though his grip is the only thing holding it together, and he's doomed if he lets go, but he'll keep fighting anyway.
The former NEVER Openweight Champion isn't just a great defensive wrestler though. He's a tough, hard-headed slugger who throws forearms and headbutts with more spirit than anyone else in New Japan, and while his moveset is simple, everything he does is sharp and impactful. There isn't a more compelling brawler in the sport.
Ishii's best work compares favourably with anyone else on the planet. His bouts against Katsuyori Shibata are the stuff of legend, and recent series with Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega rival 'The Cleaner's' epic 2017 trilogy with Kazuchika Okada, marking Ishii as one of the best in the world.